Swatch CEO calls Apple Watch an 'interesting toy,' voices privacy concerns

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Comments

  • Reply 61 of 94
    A 'Toy'?!?! This from a company that has been producing plastic watch fro a few decades now?
  • Reply 62 of 94
    Smell that?

    It's FEAR.
  • Reply 63 of 94
    sflagelsflagel Posts: 805member
    Unlike phones, I do believe that there is room for a second and third watch in most people's wardrobe. Besides my Apple Watch, which has a few bugs but otherwise I like a lot, I could see myself buying a $100 Swatch that looks nice and has, say, only NFC capability. For example, it would allow me to wear a waterproof sporty device with payment capability to the beach and leave my wallet at home. This would clearly be a very useful device.

    Or an Omega that discreetly vibrates when a VIP calls, or sends a txt or email. This would allow me to wear a "proper" stylish watch at social events in the evenings, turn the ringer on my phone off and still be alerted when the nanny calls. I can then call back discreetly.

    I wear my Apple Watch every day at work, but I left it home for my two week holiday and brought an old orange plastic diving watch instead (we sail and surf during the hols). If Swatch had had one with NFC payments, I would have bought it at the airport, I am sure.

    So yes, I think Swatch could be the second and third watch in the drawer, next to the Apple Watch workhorse.

    Of corse, Swatch could never compete with Apple on true smart watches, that would be a ridiculous thought. Apple Watch will be a must have for most iPhone users.
  • Reply 64 of 94

    I predict that in 2 years this guy or his replacement will be thrilled to announce their new line of straps designed specifically for the Apple Watch.

  • Reply 65 of 94
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    "The Apple watch is an interesting toy, but not a revolution," Hayek told Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger.

     

  • Reply 66 of 94



    Yes, I did buy the original iPhone (second day after launch when the lines disappeared), iPad, iMac, Apple TV, iPod, iTools and even the first Power Mac. The Apple Watch in my opinion is just not yet worth buying (for me). If you love it, cool. I believe I have the right to voice my opinion of this product like everyone else here. AW is too big and too small where it is needed. Not sexy like all other Apple products, and an accessory not a device that stands on its own (my opinion). Maybe in a couple of years it will make sense for me but I'm not playing guinea pig for this device. 

  • Reply 67 of 94
    Swatch missed the boat on getting a piece of the Apple Watch pie.

    Another article on here mentions that Apple may come out with new materials this fall, one of which is ceramic.

    Swatch produces ceramic bands on it's Rado brand.

    This is not the ceramic you're most likely picturing, and I expect (hope) it will be the new material for Apple's link band.

    The ceramic looks exactly like mirror polished metal and is harder than sapphire (scratch free after 9 years daily use... Rado's ceramic lives up to it's promise).

    Once Apple starts manufacturing ceramics, Swatch will have missed the boat to become the high end band of choice for Apple watches.


    For now... does anyone know how to mount Apple Watch lugs on a Rado band?
  • Reply 68 of 94
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 631member
    As it's been said... 'If you're getting flak, it means you are over the target.'
  • Reply 69 of 94
    I thought he looked a little like a homeless Robert De Niro.

    That's pretty close, but you need to throw in a measure of Brother Theodore.
  • Reply 70 of 94
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    cropr wrote: »

    I get 4 years with my current watch

    which contactless payment forms does it use? how much storage for music while running?
  • Reply 71 of 94
    I get the impression his middle finger was airbrushed out of the photo.
  • Reply 72 of 94
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by NolaMacGuy View Post





    ah, I see you haven't used one yet. I don't need a health condition before wanting to stay on top of my daily activity goals, including standing -- the big one for me because I'm a knowledge worker seated all day, which is linked to higher mortality rates (organ squish). it's amazing how quickly the hours roll by and the reminder to stand up and walk around are killer for me.



    have never needed it to get out of a museum.

    lol. what kind of lazy bums are you that you need a piece of tech to tell you when to move your body?  Good lord.

  • Reply 73 of 94
    solipsismysolipsismy Posts: 5,099member
    nizzard wrote: »
    lol. what kind of lazy bums are you that you need a piece of tech to tell you when to move your body?  Good lord.

    So you're saying that someone who has a desk job and is heavily focused on their work, while at work, due to their strong work ethic is a "lazy bum" if they don't have an internal clock that tells them to stand up every hour?

    I'm sure neuroscientists would be fascinated to study you as you appear to be the only person in the world who doesn't experience the temporal perception phenomenon.
  • Reply 74 of 94
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,376member
    So we have Neanderthal Man who makes toy looking watches for a living calling the Apple Watch a toy. Very interesting. Maybe if Apple made a pink plastic version with little red hearts on it he'd change his opinion. At the end of the day everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But as the CEO of a well respected company you'd think he'd show a little class when acknowledging that he's been outclassed by a computer company shipping a version 1.0 product into a new market segment. I hope he's better prepared for the next round of innovation that will surely come. As CEO he'd be better served to make sure his house is in order instead of demonstrating how little he really knows about his new competition. Scary.
  • Reply 75 of 94
    cm477cm477 Posts: 99member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by DamonF View Post



    That thing on his wrist in the picture looks more like a "toy" than the Apple Watch does. lol



    I agree. That is one ugly watch on his wrist. 

     

    The irony is that Swatches have been known as fun, toy watches for as long as I can remember (early 1990's), not high quality timepieces. There will still be a place for them, though it may be a much smaller place. 

  • Reply 76 of 94
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    Did you buy the original iPhone? Not many did. Many said it wasn't a fully developed product. It didn't have a physical keyboard, it didn't have 3G, cut/copy/paste, and a whole slew of HW, SW and services available on BB OS and WinMo. Apple's competitors sounded just like Hayek, it was a 'toy' on a ridiculously large 3.5" display. I know I saw the brilliance of that it was going to become the same way a parent or teacher can tell by how a 6yo asks questions and engages with the world that despite their young state their potential far exceeds other that are older and more experienced. I see that with Apple's latest wearable tech.

    Wow, nicely said. ????
  • Reply 77 of 94
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DewMe View Post



    So we have Neanderthal Man who makes toy looking watches for a living calling the Apple Watch a toy. Very interesting. Maybe if Apple made a pink plastic version with little red hearts on it he'd change his opinion. 

     

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by cm477 View Post

     



    I agree. That is one ugly watch on his wrist. 

     

    The irony is that Swatches have been known as fun, toy watches for as long as I can remember (early 1990's), not high quality timepieces. There will still be a place for them, though it may be a much smaller place. 




    As others have mentioned Swatch is a watchmaking conglomerate with maybe 20 different brands, some very high end timepieces among them.

  • Reply 78 of 94
    tyler82tyler82 Posts: 1,103member

    Just kill the Apple Watch boondoggle, Apple, before throwing more of your money down the drain. Put that R&D money into the Apple Car and move on. 

  • Reply 79 of 94
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    Translation, Swatch can not figure out how to deal with data encryption so not to get their pants sue off if someone's personal information is stolen from a watch.

  • Reply 80 of 94
    brakkenbrakken Posts: 687member

    iCloud account connects all Apple products together.

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